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Boxing gloves are not only worn for boxing, kickboxing, and Thai boxing, but are a fundamental component of all martial arts and combat sports. They are used both in competitions and during training, such as sparring and punching bag training. Modern boxing gloves primarily serve to protect the hands and are accordingly padded. At the same time, this also reduces superficial facial injuries to the opponent or training partner, especially cuts and tears. Furthermore, the sewn-on thumb on boxing gloves greatly minimizes the risk of eye injuries. The padding also inhibits the impact of a punch to a certain extent. However, they do not in any way reduce the risk of brain damage, especially in competitions. In fact, this risk can actually increase because the padding protects the hand, allowing the striker to strike more forcefully.
Throughout the history of boxing gloves, which dates back to ancient Greece, these two functions have always existed. In ancient Greece, many athletes wrapped their hands with leather bands during pankration (a kind of hybrid of boxing and wrestling). This primarily served to protect their hands, but at the same time, it also allowed for greater and more unrestrained striking power.
For the Romans, however, the so-called cestus, which consisted of many different leather straps and reached almost to the elbow, served primarily to increase the impact of a blow. For this purpose, metal spikes or even small blades were often attached to the ankle straps. However, these models were primarily used by gladiators and not in sporting contests. The Greeks knew of similar models, but they were probably not used in Olympic sports competitions.
In modern boxing, bare-knuckle fights were the norm until 1867, and hand injuries were common. The Queensberry Rules of 1867 finally made boxing gloves mandatory. However, these gloves didn't evolve into the modern boxing gloves we know today until the 1990s.

Sizes, ounces, training or sparring

Today, there is a whole range of different types of boxing gloves. These can differ depending on the specific sport or simply by their intended use. While boxing, kickboxing, and Thai boxing typically use closed gloves, various Asian martial arts also use boxing gloves that allow for gripping for specific techniques. However, the primary distinction is made based on their intended use. A basic distinction can be made between competition gloves, which must meet certain requirements such as a certain shape and weight, as well as lacing, and training gloves.
When it comes to training gloves, there are striking gloves or bag gloves for punching bag training and boxing gloves for sparring. Bag gloves, in particular, can also have just a Velcro fastener. Boxing gloves for sparring, in principle, also do, but this also depends on the specific training and trainer. Only competition gloves usually have to have laces. Furthermore, both competition gloves and most sparring gloves have a sewn-on thumb to reduce the risk of injury. This means that laced boxing gloves in particular cannot usually be put on without assistance. To avoid unnecessary reliance on the help of others, it is therefore a good idea to have boxing gloves without a sewn-on thumb and with a practical Velcro fastener when training with pads or the punching bag.
Boxing gloves are classified by weight in ounces, with one ounce equal to 28.35 g. The following classifications are commonly used:

The size of boxing gloves is given in ounces or oz. It's important to note that this is a unit of weight, not hand size. More oz or ounces means more weight, which is noticeable on the outside of the glove's padding, and the heavier boxing gloves therefore have a larger outer circumference.

Sizes for training:

6 ounces: Boxing gloves for children up to 8 years

8 ounces: Children up to 12 years

10 ounces: Teenagers 13 years and older and adults

12 ounces: Adults

Sizes for sparring:

12 ounces: Teenagers/adults up to 57 kg body weight

14 ounces: Adults up to 69 kg body weight

16 - 18 ounces: From 70 kg body weight

To minimize the risk of injury to your partner during sparring, boxing gloves with a heavier weight (i.e., more padding) are used. This also reduces the risk of injury to your own striking hand. The wraps provide the necessary stabilization of the hand and prevent the wrist from twisting during a strike.

When training with mitts, punching pads, or even on a punching bag, it's all about protecting your own hands. The level of protection required, and therefore the weight of the gloves, depends on your individual training level. This requires a certain amount of habituation and toughening, but also proper technique, which reduces the risk of injury. Therefore, the typical weight varies greatly, because with increasing training, you can choose lighter gloves. This, of course, has the advantage of having to move less weight. Furthermore, lighter and less padded boxing gloves wear out more slowly.
The most important factors when buying boxing gloves are the weight and the intended use.

It's important that the boxing gloves fit well. On the one hand, they shouldn't be too big, but gloves that are too tight can even lead to injuries during training or combat. Therefore, when in doubt, it's better to choose boxing gloves that are a little too big than too tight.

Leather or faux leather?

When it comes to the outer materials of boxing gloves, you can choose between leather and synthetic leather. As a general rule, real leather is more durable and hard-wearing than synthetic leather. Both can vary depending on the quality of the leather. However, boxing gloves made of real leather are generally more durable. Furthermore, leather is very breathable than synthetic leather. Since boxing is physically demanding and challenging, both in combat and training, this can be an important factor. However, there are also synthetic leather boxing gloves that have special palm ventilation. Real leather also has its drawbacks. Real leather generally requires care. Real leather boxing gloves, in particular, require care, as despite the material's breathability, hands will still sweat, which can damage the material over time. Aside from that, real leather is also more expensive than synthetic leather for boxing gloves. While it is of higher quality and often preferred by professionals or long-time amateur athletes, the price can also be a deciding factor, especially when starting out. So, it depends on the individual situation whether you should choose real leather or synthetic leather. Of course, synthetic leather boxing gloves also serve their purpose, and they are also available in good quality.

How do I care for my boxing gloves?

While genuine leather boxing gloves require the most care, synthetic leather boxing gloves also require some attention. If they develop an odor, synthetic leather also requires some attention. If in doubt, there are also special hygiene sprays available, although skin compatibility should be considered.
Generally speaking, boxing gloves cannot be machine washed, regardless of whether they are made of leather or synthetic leather. Both leather and synthetic leather risk becoming brittle and sometimes even tearing the outer material. Therefore, boxing gloves should only be cleaned by hand with a cloth or rag, some lukewarm water, and soap.
In contrast, bandages are easily machine washable. This is another major advantage of bandages, which primarily serve to stabilize the hand. They also absorb a lot of sweat that would otherwise seep directly into the gloves.
After training, the boxing gloves should be dried with the opening facing up. A well-ventilated area is ideal for this, and the gloves should also be properly opened.
It can also help to place some kitchen roll or newspaper inside the boxing gloves for a few hours to absorb the liquid. Afterward, the gloves should be left to dry for a while.

Safety through boxing gloves

The safety aspect of boxing gloves in competitions, however, is not entirely undisputed. It is certainly true that they protect not only the hands from injury, but also the opponent. This is especially true of cuts and lacerations, the number of which is greatly reduced by wearing gloves. Furthermore, the stitched thumb of boxing gloves reduces the incidence of eye injuries.
However, protecting the striking hand leads to an increase in head strikes. In earlier bare-knuckle fights, strikes to the head were much less common due to the high risk of injury to the hand. Boxing gloves, on the other hand, allow even powerful strikes to the head without this risk, so they are practiced more frequently. This, in turn, leads to an increased risk of brain damage. Nevertheless, the number of deaths has decreased significantly compared to the bare-knuckle era, although different medical care and some significant differences in the rules may also play a major role.


The world of boxing gloves is therefore very diverse and multifaceted. The right pair depends on the intended use, both in terms of weight and whether the thumb needs to be sewn on or whether a Velcro fastener would suffice.
However, which boxing gloves are right for you always depends on your individual needs. Someone who wants to start boxing or just wants to try it out will naturally have very different priorities than a veteran boxer looking for new boxing gloves. The same applies to someone who just wants to do some work on the punching bag or perhaps train with pads and punching pads.

fightershop.ch

At fightershop.ch, however, everyone can find what they're looking for. Whether it's a good boxing glove for their next training session, a suitable pair for their first sparring session, or a practical bag glove for working on the punching bag.
Just browse through the appropriate category and find the right boxing gloves you need and don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.